List of people executed in Delaware

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The following is a list of people executed by the U.S. state of Delaware since capital punishment was resumed in the United States in 1976.

All of the 16 people were convicted of murder and have been executed at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, near Smyrna, Delaware.[1] Capital punishment was abolished in Delaware on August 2, 2016.[2]

List of people executed in Delaware since 1976

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No. Name Race Age Sex Date of execution Method Victim(s) Governor
1 Steven Brian Pennell White 34 M March 14, 1992 Lethal injection Shirley Ellis and Catherine DiMauro Michael Castle
2 James Allen Red Dog Native American 39 M March 3, 1993 Hugh Pennington[a] Thomas Carper
3 Kenneth W. DeShields Black 33 M August 31, 1993 Elizabeth Reed
4 Andre S. Deputy Black 45 M June 23, 1994 Byard Smith and Alberta Smith
5 Nelson W. Shelton White 27 M March 17, 1995 Wilson Mannon Jr.
6 Billy Bailey White 49 M January 25, 1996 Hanging Gilbert Lamberton and Clara Lamberton
7 William Henry Flamer Black 41 M January 30, 1996 Lethal injection Byard Smith and Alberta Smith
8 James B. Clark Jr. White 39 M April 19, 1996 Elizabeth Clark and James Clark Sr.
9 David J. Lawrie White 37 M April 23, 1999 4 murder victims[b]
10 Willie G. Sullivan Black 28 M September 24, 1999 Maurice Dodd
11 Dwayne L. Weeks Black 37 M November 17, 2000 Gwendolyn Weeks and Craig Williams
12 David F. Dawson White 46 M April 26, 2001 Madeline Marie Kisner Ruth Ann Minner
13 Abdullah Tanzil Hameen[c] Black 37 M May 25, 2001 Troy Hodges
14 Brian David Steckel White 36 M November 4, 2005 Sandra Lee Long
15 Robert W. Jackson III White 38 M July 29, 2011 Elizabeth Girardi Jack A. Markell
16 Shannon M. Johnson Black 28 M April 20, 2012 Cameron Hamlin

Executions before 1972

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The following individuals were executed in Delaware in county prisons ("workhouses") by hanging before 1972, when the Furman v. Georgia ruling briefly abolished capital punishment. Delaware independently abolished capital punishment in 1958 but reinstated it in 1974.[3][4]

Name Race Age Sex Date of execution County Crime Victim(s) Governor
John Smith M December 21, 1815 New Castle Murder [5] Daniel Rodney
William Piper White M April 18, 1820 Sussex Murder Female, white (mother)[6] John Collins
Jacob Elliott Black M December 31, 1822 New Castle Murder John Kean, white[7] Caleb Rodney
Elisha Sharp White M November 8, 1825 Sussex Murder Two people, white (wife and child)[8] Samuel Paynter
Robert Morris M November 8, 1831 Sussex Murder [9] David Hazzard
Samuel Ward Black 22 M September 8, 1852 New Castle Murder George A. Davidson, white[10] William H. H. Ross
John Bowen White M February 10, 1860 New Castle Murder John W. Dewlin, white[11] William Burton
John Cannon Black 18 M December 14, 1860 Sussex Murder Ms. Griffin, 14, white[12] Gove Saulsbury
Sarah Bradley Black 18 F Murder Ellen Wright, 14 months, white[13]
Levi Jenkins Black 35 M Rape Female, black[14]
John Cannon Black M December 28, 1860 Kent Rape Mary Ann Martin, white[15]
Andrew Armstrong White 53 M February 8, 1867 New Castle Murder Mrs. Douglass, white (wife)[16][d]
Joshua Jones Black M February 4, 1870 New Castle Rape Mary Meredith, white[17]
Louis Carpenter Black M
Benjamin Johnson Black M December 16, 1870 Sussex Rape Charlotte Fletcher, white[18]
Andrew Clark Black M July 12, 1872 New Castle Rape Martha Rakes, 14, white[19][20] James Ponder
Joseph Burton Black M June 20, 1873 Sussex Rape Ms. Laut, 16, white[21]
Clement Hurley M 1875 Sussex Murder [22] John P. Cochran
John Rhodes Black 24 M September 21, 1877 New Castle Murder James Temple, black[23]
Samuel Chambers Black 35 M March 22, 1878 New Castle Rape Kate Smith, white[24]
George Collins Black 19 M
James Redden Black 21 M August 25, 1882 New Castle Rape Sallie Purse, white[25] John W. Hall
Charles Robinson Black 33 M April 16, 1886 New Castle Rape Ella F. Gardner, white[26] Charles C. Stockley
Jesse Proctor Black 34 M February 13, 1891 Kent Robbery-Murder Stephen Lindsay, white[27] Robert J. Reynolds
Fredrick Young Black 17 M
Shakespeare Reeves Black 33 M March 6, 1891 New Castle Rape Grace Clark, 11, white[28]
James Thoroughgood Black M August 7, 1891 Kent Rape Louisa Huffington, 8, black[29]
Edward Wright Black 29 M July 1, 1897 New Castle Murder Ida Crummel, 23, black (girlfriend)[30] Ebe W. Tunnell
James Gordy White M June 11, 1897 Sussex Murder Mary Lewis Gordy, white (wife)[31]
John Joiner Black 25 M September 2, 1904 New Castle Murder John R. Taylor, black[32] John Hunn
Lewis Jones 30 M January 11, 1907 New Castle Murder [33] Preston Lea
William Archer Black 21 M January 25, 1907 New Castle Murder Ida E. Spires, black (girlfriend)[34]
Reese Roberts Black 30 M July 14, 1911 New Castle Robbery-Murder Robert and Ann Casey, 70 and 68, white[35] Simeon S. Pennewill
Peter Krakus White 25 M May 14, 1915 New Castle Murder Francis X. Tierney, white (policeman)[36] Charles R. Miller
William Prettyman Black 29 M September 28, 1917 New Castle Murder Harry Parker, black[37] John G. Townsend Jr.
Adam Hargus Black 34 M
Webster Purnell Black 36 M
Samuel Gangus White 24 M January 11, 1918 New Castle Murder Catherine Bodjeska, white[38]
Ernest Thomas Black 21 M November 26, 1920 New Castle Rape Emma Talley, 58, white[39]
Lemuel Price Black 24 M December 3, 1920 New Castle Murder Thomas Zebley, white (policeman)[40]
Harry Butler Black 21 M February 26, 1926 Sussex Rape Eleanor Steinmetz, 10, white[41][e] Robert P. Robinson
Carl Skinner Black 27 M May 27, 1927 Sussex Rape Julia A. Bennett, 85, white[42]
Louis Galvano White 21 M March 28, 1930 New Castle Murder Arthur C. Cline, white[43] C. Douglass Buck
Theodore Ross Black 24 M August 22, 1930 New Castle Rape Mary Read, 21, white[44]
John Morgan White 44 M April 12, 1935 Kent Murder Dominique Pierre and Frank Foster, white[45]
May Carey White 52 F June 7, 1935 Sussex Murder Robert R. Hitchens, white (May's brother)[46]
Howard Carey White 28 M
George Scott Black 26 M November 20, 1936 New Castle Murder Elbert Paul, black[47]
Isaiah Opher Black 36 M January 3, 1937 New Castle Rape-Murder Female, 13, black[48]
Joseph Nelson Black 36 M June 4, 1937 Sussex Murder Carrie Lethal, black (common-law wife)[49] Richard McMullen
Curnel Robinson Black 34 M January 14, 1941 New Castle Rape Female, 15, white[50]
Ralph Ernest White 33 M January 9, 1942 New Castle Rape Female, 6, white[51] Walter W. Bacon
Anderson Butler Black 23 M December 7, 1945 New Castle Rape Female, 13, white[52]
Forrest Sturdivant Black 34 M May 10, 1946 Sussex Murder Male, black[53]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Red Dog killed 4 additional people in Montana, California & Illinois
  2. ^ The 4 victims were: Michelle Lawrie, Fawn Lawrie, Tabitha Lawrie, and Charles Humbertson.
  3. ^ Formerly known as Cornelius Ferguson.
  4. ^ Also admitted to "various bloody deeds" he committed while working as a chain bearer for a coastal survey in California.
  5. ^ Also attacked a black woman, Bertha Neal.

References

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  1. ^ "Death Row Executions". Delaware Department of Correction. Archived from the original on April 20, 2023. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  2. ^ Eckholm, Erik (August 2, 2016). "Delaware Supreme Court Rules State's Death Penalty Unconstitutional". The New York Times. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  3. ^ "Executions in Delaware - 1662-1946 - DeathPenaltyUSA, the database of executions in the United States". deathpenaltyusa.org. Retrieved August 22, 2025.
  4. ^ "Delaware", Death Penalty Information Center
  5. ^ John Smith, DE, 1815 December 21, Espy Archive
  6. ^ William Piper, DE, 1820 April 18, Espy Archive
  7. ^ Jacob Elliott, DE, 1822 December 31, Espy Archive
  8. ^ Elisha Sharp, DE, 1825 November 8, Espy Archive
  9. ^ Robert Morris, DE, 1831 November 8, Espy Archive
  10. ^ Samuel Ward, DE, 1852 September 8, Espy Archive
  11. ^ John Bowen, DE, 1860 February 10, Espy Archive
  12. ^ John Cannon, DE, 1869 December 14, Espy Archive
  13. ^ Sarah Bradley, DE, 1869 December 14, Espy Archive
  14. ^ Levi Jenkins, DE, 1869 December 14, Espy Archive
  15. ^ John Cannon, DE, 1860 December 28, Espy Archive
  16. ^ Andrew Armstrong, 1867 February 8, Espy Archive
  17. ^ Joshua Jones, DE, 1870 February 4, Espy Archive
  18. ^ Benjamin Johnson, DE, 1870, Espy Archive
  19. ^ "Andrew Clark, DE, 1872 July 12". archives.albany.edu. Retrieved November 9, 2025.
  20. ^ "State of Delaware Genealogy and History". genealogytrails.com. Retrieved November 9, 2025.
  21. ^ Joseph Burton, DE, 1873 June 20, Espy Archive
  22. ^ Clement Hurley, DE, 1875, Espy Archive
  23. ^ John Rhodes, DE, 1877 September 21, Espy Archive
  24. ^ George Collins, DE, 1878 March 22, Espy Archive
  25. ^ James Redden, DE, 1882 August 25, Espy Archive
  26. ^ Charles Robinson, DE, 1886 April 16, Espy Archive
  27. ^ Jesse Proctor, DE, 1891 February 13, Espy Archive
  28. ^ Shakespeare Reeves, DE, 1891 March 6, Espy Archive
  29. ^ James Thoroughgood, DE, 1891 August 7, Espy Archive
  30. ^ Edward Wright, DE, 1897 January 1, Espy Archive
  31. ^ James Gordy, DE, 1897 June 11, Espy Archive
  32. ^ John Joiner, DE, 1904 September 2, Espy Archive
  33. ^ Lewis Jones, DE, 1907 January 11, Espy Archive
  34. ^ William Archer, DE, 1907 January 25, Espy Archive
  35. ^ Reese Roberts, DE, 1911 July 14, Espy Archive
  36. ^ Peter Krakus, DE, 1915 May 14, Espy Archive
  37. ^ Webster Purnell, DE, 1917 September 28, Espy Archive
  38. ^ Samuel Gangus, DE, 1918 January 11, Espy Archive
  39. ^ Ernest Thomas, 1920 November 26, Espy Archive
  40. ^ Lemuel Price, DE, 1920 December 3, Espy Archive
  41. ^ Harry Butler, DE, 1926 February 26, Espy Archive
  42. ^ Carl Skinner, DE, 1927 May 27, Espy Archive
  43. ^ Louis Galvano, DE, 1930 March 28, Espy Archive
  44. ^ Theodore Ross, DE, 1930 August 22, Espy Archive
  45. ^ John Morgan, DE, 1935 April 12, Espy Archive
  46. ^ May Carey, Howard Carey, 1935 June 7, Espy Archive
  47. ^ George Scott, DE, 1936 November 20, Espy Archive
  48. ^ Isaiah Opher, DE, 1937 January 3, Espy Archive
  49. ^ Joseph Nelson, DE, 1937 June 4, Espy Archive
  50. ^ Curnel Robinson, DE, 1941 January 14, Espy Archive
  51. ^ Ralph Ernest, DE, 1942 January 9, Espy Archive
  52. ^ Anderson Butler, DE, 1945 December 7, Espy Archive
  53. ^ Forrest Sturdivant, DE, 1946 May 10, Espy Archive
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